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Monday, 29 August 2011

We are going to talk about the 'C' word - our first Christmas gift tutorial

Right, I have a plan, we are going to be on top of Christmas this year... yep, you heard me I have used the 'C' word before the end of August... so I am going to feature a tutorial for a gift that you can make in a couple of hours and we will even make the Christmas stocking to put it in. If you have anything you would like to make for Christmas then let me know and I will see if I can include it.

Well let's get started with something really simple, an easy ribbon hair grip (OK, yes it is another flower but it is so easy :))

You will need:Just under a metre of ribbonAn ironing board or cork boardMap pins / needlework pinsA buttonAn hair clipScissors, cotton and a needle

Set up your ironing board or cork board and fold over a piece of ribbon about 3" long, tucking under about 1/2" to give a tidy end. Pin it securely to your board with one of your map pins.

Now, leaving the red pin in situ, bring the ribbon back to the centre and using another map pin secure it in the centre making sure you go through all the layers of the ribbon, you have two petals already!

Now, lay the next ribbon petal down over the centre, carefully remove the first pin that you used to hold the folded ribbon in place, always remembering to go through all the layers on ribbon.

Continue working in this way, building up your layers of petals.

I find that eight petals are sufficient... especially when I remember that I will have to get a needle through all these layers. As you get to your last petal, finish in the centre by neatly folding the ribbon over on itself and holding it in place with your two map pins.

Carefully lift your flower off the board and using your needle and thread, catch the ribbon at each corner sewing all the way through each layer... otherwise you will be wearing a wierd ribbon bunch rather than a flower.

Sew a decorative button onto the top of the flower but do not go all the way through the ribbons as you will want to slip your hair grip through the lowest flap of ribbon at the back of your flower.

Job done... and your first little stocking filler is complete.

And I have just made it under the wire to add the flower to Wendy's Handmade Monday and I know that you all know the drill, click on the linky to see what everyone else has been up to.

Finally, if you have any ideas about what you would like to see included in our Christmas tutorials, do let me know... and now my very first ad trail, next week, we will make a ribbon cushion, so keep that cork board downstairs in readiness!

And honestly, this is really the last bit, I have put all my tutorials under the Tutorials tab on the top of the page so all you have to do now is look down the list to find a pic of the item that you want to make.